Game Master Script: Complete Hosting Guide

This is your copy-paste script for running a Mafia game. Print it, bookmark it, or keep it open on your phone. Every phrase you need is here — you just add the drama.

If you're new to the game itself, read the full rules first. If you're setting up a game for the first time, the first game guide walks you through the simplest possible version.

Run through this checklist before players sit down.

• Know the roles. Decide which roles you're using. Not sure? Check the setup by player count guide.
• Count players. You need at least 6 (including yourself as GM). 8-12 is the sweet spot.
• Prepare role assignment. Folded paper slips, a deck of cards with a pre-agreed mapping, or a phone app that handles it for you.
• Know the night order. Mafia → Don → Sheriff → Doctor → Courtesan → Lover → Maniac → Hunter. Not every role is in every game — skip what you're not using.
• Decide house rules. First-night kill or no? Doctor self-heal or no? Roles revealed on death or hidden? Settle this before the first night, not during it.
• Seat everyone in a circle. You need to see all faces and be able to reach any player with a tap on the shoulder if needed.

Once everyone is seated and roles are assigned, deliver this opening. Adapt the words — the structure matters more than the exact phrasing.

Welcome to Mafia. I'm your Game Master tonight. I don't play — I run the game, and my word is final.

Here's how it works. You've each received a secret role. Most of you are Citizens. A few of you are Mafia. The Citizens don't know who anyone is. The Mafia know each other.

The game has two phases. At Night, everyone closes their eyes and the Mafia secretly picks someone to eliminate. At Day, everyone opens their eyes, I announce what happened, and you discuss and vote on who to eliminate.

Citizens win when all Mafia members are gone. Mafia wins when they equal or outnumber the Citizens.

Some of you have special roles — Sheriff, Doctor, and others. You know who you are. Use your abilities wisely.

One last thing: when you're eliminated, you're out. No talking, no hinting, no pointing. Dead players are silent.

Let's begin.

If you're using special roles that players might not know, explain them briefly: "The Sheriff can check one player per night — I'll tell you if they're Mafia. The Doctor can protect one player from tonight's kill."

This is the core of your job. Read these lines in order, pausing between each role. Keep your voice steady and your pace consistent — inconsistent timing leaks information.

Putting the City to Sleep

The city falls asleep. Everyone close your eyes and put your heads down.

Wait until all eyes are closed. Look around the room. If someone is peeking, call it out — you can't run a fair game if people cheat at this step.

Mafia Wake-Up

Mafia, open your eyes. Look at each other. Choose your target — point at the player you want to eliminate.

Wait for them to agree. They communicate silently — pointing, nodding, gesturing. Give them 10-15 seconds.

Mafia, close your eyes.

Don Wake-Up

Don, open your eyes. Point at someone you want to investigate.

The Don is checking whether the target is the Sheriff. Nod if yes, shake your head if no.

Don, close your eyes.

Sheriff Wake-Up

Sheriff, open your eyes. Point at someone you want to check.

The Sheriff is checking whether the target is Mafia. Nod if yes, shake your head if no. Remember: in most variants, the Don appears as "not Mafia" to the Sheriff.

Sheriff, close your eyes.

Doctor Wake-Up

Doctor, open your eyes. Point at someone you want to protect tonight.

Note their choice. If it matches the Mafia's target, the target survives. In most variants, the Doctor cannot protect the same player two nights in a row.

Doctor, close your eyes.

Courtesan Wake-Up

Courtesan, open your eyes. Point at someone to block tonight.

The blocked player's night action is cancelled — whatever they tried to do this night doesn't happen. Note the choice.

Courtesan, close your eyes.

Lover Wake-Up

Lover, open your eyes. Point at someone to protect from tomorrow's vote.

That player cannot be voted out during the next day phase.

Lover, close your eyes.

Maniac Wake-Up

Maniac, open your eyes. Point at someone you want to kill.

The Maniac's kill is independent of the Mafia's. Two different players can die in one night.

Maniac, close your eyes.

Hunter Note

The Hunter has no night action. Their ability triggers when they die — by any cause, day or night. When the Hunter is eliminated, they immediately choose someone to take with them.

Waking the City

Before you open eyes, resolve all actions mentally:

1. Check if the Courtesan blocked anyone (cancel that player's action)
2. Apply the Mafia's kill (unless the Doctor saved the target or the Courtesan blocked the Mafia)
3. Apply the Maniac's kill (unless the Doctor saved that target)
4. Note the Sheriff's and Don's investigation results (unless the Courtesan blocked them)

Then:

The city wakes up. Everyone open your eyes.

This is your moment to be theatrical. Pick a style that fits your group.

Standard

The city wakes up. Last night, [Player X] was eliminated.

If the Maniac is in the game and two players died:

The city wakes up. It was a violent night. [Player X] and [Player Y] were both eliminated.

Nobody Died

The city wakes up. Sunrise. Silence. Nobody died last night — someone was saved.

Or more dramatically:

The city wakes up and... everyone is here. Against all odds, the night passed peacefully. Someone had a guardian angel.

Dramatic Variants

The city wakes up to find an empty chair where [Player X] used to sit. They didn't make it through the night.

Dawn breaks over the city. The streets are quiet — too quiet. [Player X] won't be joining us today.

After the announcement, reveal the eliminated player's role if your house rules say so. The eliminated player may give a final speech (again, house rules).

Discussion

Set a time limit. 3-5 minutes works for most groups. Announce it:

You have four minutes to discuss. The floor is open.

If nobody is talking, prompt them:

Someone died last night. Does anyone have a theory? Any suspicions?

If one person is dominating, step in:

Let's hear from [quiet player]. You've been quiet — what do you think?

Nominations

After discussion time expires (or when discussion dies naturally):

Discussion is over. Time for nominations. If you want to put someone to a vote, raise your hand and name them.

Each nominated player gets a short defense (30 seconds to 1 minute):

[Player X], you've been nominated. You have 30 seconds to defend yourself.

Voting

Once all nominations are in and defenses are heard:

We'll now vote on each nominee. Raise your hand when I call the name of the player you want to eliminate. You get one vote.

Call each nominee's name. Count hands. The player with the most votes is eliminated.

The town has spoken. [Player X] is eliminated.

If nobody is nominated, or votes are too scattered:

No one was eliminated today. The town couldn't decide. Night falls.

Ties

If two players tie in votes, you have options:

• Runoff: Hold a second vote between only the tied players
• Both survive: Nobody is eliminated today
• GM breaks the tie: This is the least popular option — use it only if pre-agreed

Announce your tie rule at the start of the game so nobody argues about it later.

Doctor Saves the Target

The Mafia chose Player X. The Doctor also chose Player X. Result: Player X survives. Announce it as "nobody died" — don't reveal that the Doctor was involved.

Courtesan Blocks the Doctor

The Courtesan blocks the Doctor. The Mafia's kill goes through even if the Doctor "chose" to protect the right target — the block cancelled the heal.

Courtesan Blocks a Mafioso

The Courtesan blocks a specific Mafioso, not the whole team. In most variants, blocking one Mafioso doesn't prevent the kill unless the blocked player was the only Mafia member left.

Courtesan Blocks the Sheriff

The Sheriff's check is cancelled. They get no result this night. Tell them nothing — just shake your head ambiguously, or tell them "you were blocked" (house rule dependent).

Lover Protects a Mafia Member

It happens. The protected Mafia member can't be voted out tomorrow. The Lover doesn't know anyone's role.

Hunter Dies

When the Hunter is eliminated (day vote or night kill), they immediately point at someone. That player is also eliminated. This happens right away — before the next phase begins.

Last-Player Scenarios

If the day vote would eliminate the last Citizen and leave Mafia in the majority, the game ends. Mafia wins. Don't play out another night.

If the Mafia kills someone at night and this brings them to parity with Citizens, the game ends at dawn. Mafia wins.

Night order: Mafia → Don → Sheriff → Doctor → Courtesan → Lover → Maniac

Key rules:

• Doctor can't protect the same player two consecutive nights
• Don appears as "not Mafia" to Sheriff (in most variants)
• Courtesan cancels the target's night action entirely
• Lover's protection applies to the next day vote only
• Maniac kills independently — two deaths per night are possible
• Hunter's revenge triggers immediately on death (any cause)
• Game ends when Mafia equals Citizens (Mafia wins) or all Mafia are dead (Citizens win)

Resolution order:

1. Cancel actions blocked by Courtesan
2. Apply Mafia kill (check Doctor save)
3. Apply Maniac kill (check Doctor save)
4. Record Sheriff and Don results
5. Announce results in the morning

Stay neutral. Your face, voice, and body language should give away nothing. When the Mafia points at someone, don't flinch. When the Sheriff checks a Mafia member, don't smile. Practice your poker face.

Be theatrical. The GM sets the mood. "The city falls asleep" is functional. "Darkness falls over the city. Somewhere in the shadows, someone is making plans..." is memorable. You don't need to write a novel — just add a sentence of flavor.

Track everything. Write down every night action, every check result, every Doctor save. You will forget otherwise, and a mistake from the GM can ruin the game. Better yet, use a tracking tool and let the app remember for you.

Keep the pace. Night should take 60-90 seconds total. Day discussion is 3-5 minutes. If the game drags, people lose interest. Set timers and enforce them.

Handle disputes firmly. "The GM's call is final" is a rule you need to establish at the start. If a player disagrees with a ruling, they can bring it up after the game. Mid-game arguments kill the vibe.

• How to play Mafia: complete rules
• Every role explained
• Setup by player count
• Your first game
• Common mistakes

Start a game — roles assigned automatically, night actions tracked, morning summaries generated. Free, works on any phone.